PERSPECTIVES: THE NATURAL AND CONSTRUCTED WORLDS

"THE GEESE OVER THE CITY"

A poem by Emma LaRocque

How would you compare the rural environment with the urban environment?  Rural means relating to the country, or people making a living from the land.  Urban refers to the city landscape, tall buildings, and people who work in the city.  There are many reasons that people choose to live in the country and just as many reasons that people choose to live in the city.  Which environment do you prefer?  Why? 

Dr. Emma LaRocque is a writer, poet, historian, social and literary critic, and a professor in the Department of Native Studies, University of Manitoba.  She specializes in colonization and its impact on Native/White relations, particularly in the areas of cultural productions and representation.

BEFORE READING:

Think about what you know about geese flying overhead.

• At what time of the year do you see these birds?
• What feelings do you have when you hear the honking of the geese?